Mountain Creek to offer free shuttle service

VERNON — With the busy October tourist weekends starting in a few days, Mountain Creek is offering a free shuttle service aimed at easing parking congestion by destination day-hikers at the two main Appalachian Trail trail heads, the Boardwalk on Route 517 and the ''Stairway to Heaven'' on Route 94 across from Heaven Hills.
Resort President Bill Benneyan said the free shuttle will circulate a continuous loop from Red Tail Lodge to each of the trailheads every Saturday and Sunday plus Columbus Day from 10am-6pm for the month of October. Hikers are asked to park in the resort main Cobblestone Village lot and cross the pedestrian bridge for pick up in front of the Red Tail Lodge.
"We don't know what this means for the future, but clearly the Vernon, N,J., section of the incredible Georgia-to-Maine trail is the most popular day-hike destination along its 2,200 miles, and it just keeps getting more so as postings spread across the Internet," Benneyan said. "It's an amazing resource. While the town and county officials and engineers continue to pursue reasonable solutions, we felt that we could help out this fall season."